>> A SECOND DEMOCRATIC BID FOR U.S. SENATE.

QUESTIONS ABOUT UTILITIES' STORM RECOVERY.

PLUS, MORE CONCERNS AROUND THE LEAP DISTRICT AND MORE.

FROM THE TELEVISION STUDIOS AT WFYI, IT'S "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" FOR THE WEEK ENDING JULY 7, 2023.

>> "INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE INDIANA BROADCASTING STATIONS.

>> THIS WEEK, A SECOND DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE HAS THROWN THEIR HAT INTO THE RING FOR INDIANA'S OPEN 2024 U.S. SENATE RACE.

INDIANAPOLIS CITY-COUNTY COUNCILOR KEITH POTTS IS LAUNCHING WHAT HE HOPES IS A HISTORIC BID.

>> POTTS WOULD BE THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN ELECTED TO THE U.S. SENATE.

THE 33-YEAR-OLD FIRST WORKED IN POLITICS FOR U.S.

SENATOR JOE DONNELLY IN 2018 BEFORE BEATING A REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT IN 2019 TO JOIN THE INDIANAPOLIS CITY-COUNTY COUNCIL.

AS POTTS BEGINS HIS CAMPAIGN, HIS MESSAGE LEADS WITH SOME OF THE MOST FRAUGHT POLITICAL ISSUES OF THE TIME: BOOK BANS, ABORTION RESTRICTIONS, VOTING RIGHTS AND GUN VIOLENCE.

HE ALSO USED MUCH OF HIS FORMAL LAUNCH VIDEO TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE LIKELY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, CONGRESSMAN JIM BANKS.

KEITH POTTS: HE VOTES WITH PARTY BOSSES AND AGAINST BADLY-NEEDED REPAIRS TO INDIANA'S ROADS AND BRIDGES.

HE PLAYS POLITICS INSTEAD OF STANDING UP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

>> POTTS JOINS FORMER ALCOHOL LOBBYIST MARC CARMICHAEL IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR THE SEAT OPENED UP BY CURRENT U.S.

SENATOR MIKE BRAUN'S RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

>> HOW WILL POTTS FARE AS A STATEWIDE CANDIDATE?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR "IDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" PANEL, DEMOCRAT LINDSAY HAAKE, REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN, JON SCHWANTES, HOST OF "INDIANA LAWMAKERS" AND NIKI KELLY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE "INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE."

I'M INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATEHOUSE BUREAU CHIEF BRANDON SMITH.

MIKE O'BRIEN, POTTS, IF HE GETS THE NOMINATION, WOULD ARGUABLY BE THE MOST LEFT-LEANING STATEWIDE DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME.

CAN HE BE SUCCESSFUL?

>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT AND NOT BECAUSE HE IS OPENLY GAY AND FAR LEFT.

AND THE INCUMBENT COULDN'T HANG ON TO THE SEAT.

JUST THE NUTS AND BOLTS RUNNING FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE.

THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY HUGE UNDERTAKINGS.

GETTING ON THE BALLOT IS GOING TO BE A WIN FOR THESE GUYS.

I HAVE KNOWN MARK FOR A LONG TIME, BUT THESE ARE BOTTOM-TIERED CANDIDATES THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED.

THEIR BEST SHOT IS A WAVE IN INDIANA THAT GOES AGAINST BANKS, BUT THAT IS NOT WHERE YOU LIVE.

IT IS LIKE GOING WITH TODD.

THAT IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

I SAID THAT FOR THE LAST ELECTION.

THAT KIND OF QUESTION IS, LIKE, PUT IT IN ILLINOIS AND DO AN APPLES TO APPLES AND NO, HE IS NOT GOING TO THE U.S. SENATE.

THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> TO THAT END, IF POTTS OR ANY DEMOCRAT CAN'T BE SUCCESSFUL STATEWIDE, WHAT DOES A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDACY LOOK LIKE FOR DEMOCRATS?

>> IT LOOKS LIKE A YOUNG DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE.

IT IS ALWAYS EXCITING WHEN YOU HAVE A YOUNG DEMOCRAT THROWING THEIR NAME FOR FRAY, ALLOWING THEIR NAME TO BE PUT OUT THERE FOR GOD AND COUNTRY AND IT IS GREAT FOR DEMOCRACY.

I WILL TELL YOU THOUGH, IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE LINE IS GETTING LONGER TO RUN AFTER JIM BANKS' RECORD AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER.

THAT IS THE HALLMARK OF THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE, NO MATTER WHO THE NAME IS WITH THE D. BEHIND IT, IT IS GOING TO BE RUNNING AFTER THE HORRIBLE RECORD THAT CONGRESSMAN BANKS HAS AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT HAPPENS.

I THINK THERE WILL BE MORE THROWING THEIR NAMES IN AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT AND DEMOCRATS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE WILL SEE WHAT THAT MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS.

>> I THINK HE HAS BEEN CALLED WORSE THAN JIM.

>> SHE SAID LAST WEEK HIS ONLY WAY TO WIN IS IF HE DROPPED DEAD.

>> IT WAS JUST WITH A HEART ATTACK, WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN OF COURSE.

I MENTIONED HE WOULD BE THE MOST LEFT-LEANING CANDIDATE.

I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT MAKING THAT, BUT LINDSAY JUST POINTED OUT, HE IS YOUNG.

IT IS A NAME WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE UNLIKE OTHER NAMES DEMOCRATS HAVE PUT UP FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN MAKE FOR SUCCESS, WHICH IS GETTING PEOPLE EXCITED?

>> THAT HAS BEEN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN RECENT YEARS, THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ASSUAGE THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD VOTERS AND THE MODERATE REPUBLICANS WITH THE MODERATE DEMOCRAT AND THAT OBVIOUSLY HASN'T WORKED, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO THE OTHER WAY AND SEE IF A TRULY PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE, AND HIS IDEAS CAN AT LEAST MAKE A DENT, AND MAYBE THAT IS WHAT THE PARTY NEEDS TO SEE WHICH IT NEEDS TO LEAN FOR THE FUTURE.

>> BECAUSE THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE AS A CANDIDATE EVEN IF YOU DON'T WIN, EVEN IF YOU PROBABLY DON'T GET CLOSE TO WINNING REALISTICALLY STATEWIDE AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE LOTS OF RACES DOWN BALLOT WHERE DEMOCRATS CAN WIN, AND IF THEY HAVE -- IF VOTERS HAVE SOMEONE EXCITING.

BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, VOTERS DON'T PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE DOWN RACES ON THE BALLOT.

IF THEY SEE SOMEONE UP FURTHER THEY WILL PAY ATTENTION TO AND THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT, THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE DOWN THE TICKET, CAN IT NOT?

>> SURE, I THINK IT IS ALMOST PART OF AN INTRICATE MOSAIC AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL GET PEOPLE OFF OF THEIR COUCHES AND OUT TO THE POLLS.

I DON'T FAULT MR. POTTS FOR RUNNING EVEN IF THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS TIME IS PICKIER, WHETHER IT IS ANN DELANEY'S THEORY OR ANY OTHER.

HE IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO WIN.

BUT FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS POLITICAL AMBITION AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A NEGATIVE WAIVE, IT IS HEALTHY WAY TO DISTINGUISH YOURSELF FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS, SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO GET INTO THE FRAY.

HE IS A YOUNG CANDIDATE.

HE IS ONLY 33.

HE IS THREE YEARS LEGAL TO QUALIFY UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION FOR THE OFFICE OF U.S. SENATE.

STILL CAN'T BE PRESIDENT.

SO, I THINK, AS FAR AS WHAT WORKS IN INDIANA, I THINK EVERYBODY IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

WE HAVE NOT HAD A PROGRESSIVE, SELF-PROFESSED LIBERAL STATEWIDE OFFICE HOLD SINCE JANUARY OF 1981.

HE AND THE OTHER MEMBER OF THE SENATE DELEGATION HERE WERE, BY MOST ACCOUNTS WERE LABEL.

LABEL -- LIBERAL.

I WILL LUMP TOGETHER THE JODONNY WHO WAS SUCCESSFUL, EVAN WHO DEPARTED FROM HIS FATHER AND WAS MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE AND HELPED RUN OR CREATE AN AN ENTITY CALLED THE THIRD WAY ABOUT MODERATION.

SMART PEOPLE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE HAS SAID THAT IS THE MODEL THAT WORKS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER.

>> I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS I THINK WHEN BIRCH DIED, BUT HE WOULD BE CONSIDERED PROGRESSIVE TODAY LET ALONE IN THE 60s AND 70s WHEN HE WAS RUNNING.

>> LAST WEEKEND'S STORMS LEFT SOME HOOSIERS WITHOUT POWER FOR DAYS.

DUKEENERGY AND A-E-S INDIANA SAY THEY DID THEIR BEST TO RESTORE POWER AFTER AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF DAMAGE.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S REBECCA THIELE REPORTS A CONSUMER ADVOCACY GROUP SAYS THE UTILITIES COULD HAVE DONE MORE TO PREPARE AND WANTS THE STATE TO INVESTIGATE THE OUTAGES.

>> INDIANA UTILITIES SAY THESE STORMS WERE MORE WIDESPREAD THAN USUAL AND THEY CAME IN WAVES - WHICH MADE IT HARDER TO REPAIR THINGS LIKE POLES AND WIRES.

THE STORMS AFFECTED MORE THAN A THIRD OF CUSTOMERS WITH DUKE ENERGY AND ABOUT 20% WITH A-E-S. KERWIN OLSON WITH THE CITIZENS ACTION COALITION SAYS UTILITIES SHOULD BE DOING MORE TO PREVENT THESE PROLONGED OUTAGES - ESPECIALLY AS INDIANA CONTINUES TO APPROVE RATE INCREASES AND PASS LEGISLATION AIMED AT ENSURING RELIABILITY.

KERWIN OLSON: THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING AND REGULATING THOSE UTILITIES SHOULD HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY DON'T DELIVER ON WHAT IT IS THEY TELL FOLKS THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

>> BOTH DUKE ENERGY AND A-E-S ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF MULTI-YEAR EFFORTS TO REPLACE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ADD TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER ISOLATE OUTAGES.

>> LINDSAY, SHOULD THE STATE INVESTIGATE HOW UTILITIES ARE RESPONDING TO STORM OUTAGES?

>> YES, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY.

THERE ARE PEOPLE STILL WITHOUT POWER TO THIS DAY AND IT IS FIVE, SIX, SEVEN DAYS AFTER A STORM EVENT.

YOU HAD MULTIPLE STORM EVENTS ON TOP OF THAT.

THE REIC HAS A DUTY TO CONSUMERS TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A FULL INVESTIGATION AT THE REIC IN FRONT OF REGULATORS, IN FRONT OF PUBLIC TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE REIC AND GATHER, LOOK FOR A ROOT CAUSE, SEE WHAT IS GOING ON.

HAVE WE DONE WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO IN TERMS OF RESILIENCE PLANNING, UNPLANNED OUTAGES DUE TO A STORM?

NOT UNCOMMON, GET THAT DONE, BACK IN THE LIGHTS EVEN AFTER 24 HOURS, 36 HOUR, I WOULD BE WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THE FACT IS, THIS IS TOO LONG AND WE NEED MORE INFORMATION.

FRANKLY, IT IS DEAFENING THE SILENCE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE REIC.

>> GROUPS LIKE THIS AND HOOSIERS AREN'T SAYING, OH, WE NEED TO BRING THE HAMMER DOWN ON THESE COMPANIES.

IT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON?

IS THERE ANY HARM IN SAYING, ASKING THESE PUBLIC COMPANIES TO COME FORWARD AND SAY WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?

>> I THINK IN THE MAJOR EVENTS, WE SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK BACK AND SAY, HOW DID WE RESPOND, HOW CAN WE DO BETTER, WHAT DID WE DO WELL?

THIS WAS LIKE A HURRICANE EVENT.

YOU HAVE THE INITIAL STORM THAT KNOCKS OUT 300,000 PEOPLE AND YOU REPAIR THE NEXT DAY AND IT HAPPENS AGAIN, AND YOU'RE REPAIRING AGAIN.

THE MULTIPLE EVENTS OVER THE COURSE OF DAYS AND IT WASN'T FOR LACK OF RESOURCES, DUKE ALONE BROUGHT 1,000 EXTRA LINEMEN TO DO THE REPAIRS FROM OHIO AND KENTUCKY.

IT WAS LIKE CONFLUENCE OF UNIQUE EVENTS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.

THE AVERAGE HOOSIER FOR A DAY OR TWO IS SAYING, YEAH, THAT IS FINE.

I HAD COLLEAGUES WITH POWER OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF INDIANAPOLIS FOR FOUR DAYS.

THAT IS NOT THE UTILITY COMPANY NOT DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY.

>> IT IS YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, WHICH LEADS THE CONSUMERS TO TAKE THE BRUNT.

>> BUT LIKE THE LEAD-IN SEED, THE COMPANIES ARE IN THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BILLION DOLLAR-PLUS UPGRADE.

>> THAT IS THEIR JOB.

>> THAT IS WHY THEY ARE DOING IT.

>> THEY TALKED ABOUT IT IS UNPRECEDENTED, BUT NOT JUST THE INITIAL DAMAGE, BUT IT IS HARDER TO MAKE REPAIRS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET OUT THERE DURING THE ENTIRE TIME.

WE KNOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS GOING TO MAKE THIS MORE AND MORE COMMON.

IF THEY ARE BRINGING IN 1,000 MORE WORKERS, THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO.

ARE THERE THINGS WE CAN DO TO THE SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE THE SITUATION THE NEXT TIME IT PROBABLY COMES UP?

>> SURE, I THINK ANY TIME YOU CAN, AS MIKE SAID, ANY TIME YOU HAVE A SITUATION LIKE THIS AND YOU CAN DISSECT IT AFTER THE FACT AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS KIND OF CATASTROPHE THAT HAS GONE ON DAYS.

YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO PREVENT -- YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE 100%.

>> NO, AND NO ONE EXPECTS THAT.

>> IT DOESN'T HELP HOOSIERS WHO HAVE BEEN WITHOUT POWER ALL WEEK TO SAY THINGS WERE WORSE IN TEXAS AND AN ONGOING BASIS IN CALIFORNIA WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE AN AFTERNOON BROWNOUT, BUT THAT DOES NOT DO ANYTHING FOR HOOSIERS WHO PAY THEIR ELECTRICITY BILL AND FLIP THE SWITCH AND WANT IT TO COME ON.

LOOK AT IT, INVESTIGATE IT AND TAKE STEPS.

WHAT THIS WILL DO IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE SESSION AFTER THAT, THOSE WHO ARGUE ABOUT THE NOTION OF RESILIENCY AND REDUNDANCY IN THE SYSTEM, THOSE WHO SAY, LET'S NOT MOVE TOO QUICKLY TO THROW OUT THE COMPANIES OR I SHOULD SAY THE DISTRIBUTION MODEL OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GOT US WHERE WE ARE TODAY AS WE EMBRACE NEW RENEWABLES.

THIS WILL GIVE MORE AM AM KNEW MISSION IN WANTING TO HAVE BUILT IN REDUNDANCY.

>> TO THAT POINT, THIS IS IN A BACKDROP THAT HAS NOT HELD THE UTILITY COMPANIES' FEET TO THE FIRE IN A DECADE.

>> NO, EVERY TIME THEY ARE RULED AGAINST IN COURT OR OCCASIONALLY COME AGAINST SOMETHING THEY WANT, THEY GO TO THE LEGISLATURE.

THE LEGISLATURE GIVES THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

WE SAW IT AGAIN AND AGAIN THIS SESSION.

AND SO, I MEAN, THEY HAVE ALL OF THE QUIVERS IN THEIR OR ARROWS IN THEIR QUIVER, BECAUSE THEY ARE GIVEN EVERYTHING THEY WANTED BY THE LEGISLATURE, BUT THEY ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET POWER ON FOR PEOPLE AFTER FIVE DAYS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS NOT WORTH AN INVESTIGATION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

>> THEY HAVE GAMED THE SYSTEM, WE CAN'T FINE THEM EVEN IF WE FIND THERE IS WRONG DOING.

THERE HAS BEEN A BILL YEAR AFTER YEAR IN FINING THEM AND THERE HAS BEEN CRICKETS.

>> EACH WEEK, WE HAVE AN ONLINE POLL QUESTION.

SHOULD THE STATE INVESTIGATE UTILITY COMPANIES' STORM RECOVERY EFFORTS?

A.

YES B.

NO LAST WEEK, WE ASKED, WAS THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RIGHT TO END AFFIRMATIVE ACTION?

60% OF YOU SAID NO.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE POLL, GO TO WFYI WFYI.ORG/IWIR.

A STATE PROPOSAL TO REROUTE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER FROM TIPPECANOE COUNTY DOWN TO A LEBANON INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT HAS PROMPTED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATE'S PERMITTING LAWS.

WBAA'S BEN THORP REPORTS SOME STATE LAWMAKERS SAY THE RULES AROUND LARGE WITHDRAWALS DON'T PROTECT LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

>> LEBANON DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER FOR ITS INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, SO THE STATE PROPOSED PIPING OVER 100 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER TO LEBANON EVERY DAY.

UNDER STATE LAW, EACH LARGE WATER WITHDRAWAL MUST BE REPORTED TO THE STATE - BUT IT DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT THE WITHDRAWAL WILL HAVE ON COMMUNITIES.

REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL AYLESWORTH AIMED TO CREATE A REVIEW PROCESS FOR LARGE WITHDRAWALS DURING THIS MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

REP. MICHAEL AYLESWORTH: I'M CERTAINLY NOT AGAINST A WONDERFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, BUT I'M CONCERNED FOR ALL OF US THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE WATER IN THE FUTURE.

>> THE BILL NEVER GOT A HEARING IN THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES.

CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE SHANE LINDAUER, DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT.

>> NIKI, WE TALKED ABOUT THE LEAP DISTRICT A COUPLE OF TIMES ON THIS SHOW NOW, IS THE DISTRICT WORTH SOME OF THE HEADACHES IT SEEMS TO BE CAUSING?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I'M ALL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

>> IT IS NECESSARY.

>> I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THIS DISTRICT IN GENERAL.

FROM THE BEGINNING, I HAD ISSUE WITH HOW IT WAS ROLLED OUT AND HOW LITTLE TRANSPARENCY WAS GIVEN AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE.

THEY HAD THIS MEETING ON WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE WATER IN THAT AREA, AND NO ONE FROM THE STATE SHOWED UP.

THEY ARE JUST NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS, AND MAYBE WE'LL GET A GREAT, $50 BILLION INVESTMENT, BUT THAT IS A GAMBLE AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE OVERALL PROJECT IS GOING TO COST, BILLIONS, BILLIONS.

THIS IS TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO A GAMBLE AND I HOPE IT WORKS OUT, BUT YOU KNOW, WOW.

THEY HAVE JUST HANDLED IT AS BADLY AS YOU COULD.

>> BY ALL ACCOUNTS, IT DOES SEEM LIKE A GAMBLE WORTH TAKING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> BUT PART OF THE REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT ON THE SHOW, WHICH IS NOT THE BILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS, WHICH I HOPE MATTERS TO EVERYONE WATCHING AND LISTENING TO THE SHOW, BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A NEW STRATEGY IN GENERAL.

WE MIGHT NOT SEE ANOTHER ONE ON THE SAME SCAE IN INDIANA, THIS IS CLEARLY -- >> YEAH, THE STRATEGY PUTS THE RISK ON THE STATE AND NOT THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

>> WE SAW THE IDC ASK FOR AND GET ANOTHER SITE SELECTION MONEY WHERE THEY ARE PRESUMABLY GOING TO GO OUT, BUY LAND, DEVELOP IT WHERE IT IS SITE READY IN THE HOPES THAT SOMEBODY WILL BUY.

SO, IS THAT A BIG PART OF WHY EVERYBODY -- >> SURE, I THINK THIS IS AN EVOLUTION OF A STRATEGY THAT MANY STATES ADOPTED, PROBABLY 20, 30 YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU TIRED DEAR COMPANY THAT MIGHT BE WILLING TO INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE FUTURE?

ARE YOU TIRED OF GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY AND RED TAPE?

ARE YOU TIRED OF WAITING FOR YEARS BEFORE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THAT PARCEL?

WE SEWER SHOVEL READY.

WE CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE.

IT IS A SELLING POINT.

IT IS A MANTRA.

WE DON'T THINK, WE WILL HAVE A COMMISSIONER TASK FORCE OR PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT SPANS YEARS.

NOW, I GUESS THAT'S A SELLING POINT, BUT ANOTHER CLICHE COMES TO MIND AND THAT WOULD BE THE CLICHE, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REROUTING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER, I'M NO HYDROLOGIS T, IF YOU MOVE SOMETHING THERE, IT CAUSES ISSUES THERE.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WHOLESALE AND CHANGE TO THE ECOSYSTEM, YOU DO WANT TO HAVE SOME SORT OF REVIEW PROSES WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE EXPERTISE, THAT I LACK, COULD WEIGH IN ON THIS AND SAY THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ARE A WARRANTED CONCERN OR NOT.

>> WE STARTED TO SEE SOME SORT OF DISCOMFORT, I WILL SAY, AT THE STATE HOUSE THIS PAST SESSION, EVEN FROM REPUBLICANS, WITH HOW MUCH MONEY IDC WAS GETTING WITH SEEMINGLY LITTLE OVERSIGHT.

LET'S GIVE THEM HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GO AND GET COMPANIES TO COME HERE.

IS STUFF LIKE THIS, THESE WERE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS AT THE MEETING RAISING SOME OF THESE CONCERNS ABOUT THE STATE'S PROCESS FOR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

ARE WE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE AT THE STATE HOUSE?

>> IF IT DOESN'T WORK, YEAH.

IT BETTER WORK.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING.

NO ONE IS ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PULL 100 MILLION GALLONS A DAY OUT AND PUT IT IN LAFAYETTE.

>> I HOPE THE STATE HAS AN ANSWER.

AHOPE THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.

>> MIKE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AG COMMITTEE, WHAT IS THE IMPACT AND HE CAN'T GET AN ANSWER?

OF COURSE, I HOPE IT WORKS.

I HOPE THIS NEW STRATEGY WORKS AND I HOPE ALL OF THE MONEY THE LEGISLATURE PUTS IN AND THE ROI @ON THAT IS INFINITE.

EVERYBODY WANTS THAT.

THERE ARE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED HERE THAT ARE FRUSTRATING A LOT OF REPUBLICANS.

>> I WILL GO BACK TO MY FIRST QUESTION, WHICH WAS, IS THIS LEAP DISTRICT WORTH THE HEADACHES IT SEEMS TO BE CAUSING?

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE WATER SOURCE IS A PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST.

THAT IS AN ENTITY TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN YOUR NORMAL REGULATED INVESTOR OWNED UTILIZE.

WILL THE RATE PAYERS SEE ANY BENEFIT TO THAT SALE OF WATER IF IT IS A SALE OR HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE CON CONSTRUCTED?

WE DON'T KNOW THESE ANSWERS.

TO YOUR POINT, THERE HAS TO BE MORE THAN A WING AND A PRAYER AND A HOPE AND A DREAM WITH THESE PROGRAMS.

IF I WERE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I WOULD BE UP THERE RATTLING THE CAGES, TOO.

>> I DO THINK IDC DESERVES CREDIT HERE.

WHEN WE WERE DOING INCENTIVES 20 YEARS AGO, WE WERE FOLLOWING OTHER STATES AND IT WAS A WASH. WE WERE LOSING SOME, WINNING SOME.

>> IT IS A WHOLE NEW MODEL, BUT IT IS HORRIBLY EXPENSIVE, WHICH MIGHT BE FINE, AND I JUST BEG OF THEM TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

>> YOU CAN BEG MORE.

>> TO THAT POINT, I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS ISSUE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME UP, NIKI TALKED ABOUT IT AT THIS MEETING, BUT SEEMS TO BE COMING UP A LOT AT LAWMAKERS.

STATE OFFICIALS ARE NOT SHOWING UP TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

WE SAW IT AT THE STATE HOUSE WHERE WE HAD COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND LAWMAKERS GOING IS THERE ANYBODY FROM X-AGENCY HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS?

NOPE, EVEN ON THE BILLS TALKING ABOUT AGENCY RULEMAKING AND THAT IS CAUSING A LOT OF FRUSTRATION FROM LAWMAKERS WHO WERE READY TO GET RID OF LAW MAKING SOMETIMES.

IS THAT A PROBLEM THAT STATE AGENCIES AREN'T SHOWING UP WHEN THEY SHOULD?

>> PRESUMABLY THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED TO AND THE PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE GIVES THE PERMISSION AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE COMING.

WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE LOTTERY, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, NUMBER ONE, DISTANT SECOND IS I-LOTTERY.

IT IS MOBILE LOTTERY.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT IT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ACTIVE ABOUT IT, BUT WE WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS.

THESE THINGS DON'T JUST HAPPEN ON YOUR OWN.

YOU DON'T GET THE OUTCOME YOU WANT BECAUSE YOU THINK IT WILL INEVITABLY HAPPEN.

YOU HAVE TO INSERT YOURSELF.

>> IT IS CRICKETS, TOO THE REIC THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.

THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS RESCINDED FROM THE MIKE PENCE ADMINISTRATION THAT DID AWAY WITH ALL OF THE RULEMAKING, BUT THAT GOES TO YOUR POINT EVEN MORE SO.

WE'RE LEGISLATING ABSENT ABSENTIA FROM THE SECOND FLOOR, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE NEEDS TO BE WEIGHING IN ON THIS.

>> YOUTH TOBACCO USE AMONG HOOSIERS IS THE LOWEST SINCE 2012, ACCORDING TO DATA COLLECTED LAST YEAR.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S VIOLET COMBER-WILEN REPORTS DESPITE DECLINES IN OVERALL USAGE, STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE STILL CONCERNED.

>> ACCORDING TO THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY, OVER ONE IN 10 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ONE IN 30 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS SAID THEY USED TOBACCO IN 2022.

E-CIGARETTES WERE THE MOST FREQUENTLY USED FORM WITH 9.2% OF HIGH SCHOOLERS AND 2.2% OF MIDDLE SCHOOLERS USING THESE PRODUCTS.

THERE WAS A DECLINE IN THE USE OF E-CIGARETTES, CIGARS AND CIGARETTES OVER THE LAST DECADE OF SURVEYS.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT USAGE WENT FROM ABOUT 23% IN 2018 TO 10.5% IN 2022.

FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, MORE THAN 8% USED TOBACCO IN 2018 COMPARED TO THREE POINT THREE LAST YEAR.

DESPITE THESE DECLINES, SOME HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY IT IS TROUBLING THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUTH WHO USE TOBACCO USE FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES, WHICH THEY SAY CAN INCREASE THE APPEAL OF THESE PRODUCTS.

>> JON SCHWANTES, IS IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE NEED FOR CONCERN IN THESE NUMBERS?

>> WELL, IT'S A HEALTH ISSUE.

WE'RE NOT A HEALTHY GROUP OF PEOPLE, HOOSIERS, WE HAVE SEEN THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

GOOD TO SEE THE NUMBERS DOWN, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND WITH THEIR LIVES CAN HAVE SUCH A PROFOUND IMPACT.

IT IS GOING TO EMBOLDEN THE COALITION AND IT HAS BEEN NUMEROUS IN ITS MAKEUP CALLING FOR A TAX INCREASE.

IF THERE IS SENSITIVITY TO A PRICE INCREASE EITHER ON THE E-CIGS OR THE POPULATION, IT WOULD BE TOW TOBACCO.

>> IS THE TAKEAWAY, GOOD NEWS, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

OBVIOUSLY, KIDS ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THE DISGUSTING TOBACCO AND CLOSER TO THE CLEAN, FLAVORFUL VAPING AND THAT IS WHERE TAXES COME IN.

>> WE DID THE REGULATING PUSH.

>> IT IS BEING REGULATED FEDERALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

>> IS THAT GOING TO HELP THIS?

>> SINCE YOU PASS AGE 21, YOU CAN BUY IT AT AGE 21, ALL OF THAT HAS HELPED.

>> THAT'S INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT LINDSAY HAAKE, REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN, JON SCHWANTES OF "INDIANA LAWMAKERS" AND NIKI KELLY OF THE "INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE."

YOU CAN FIND INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW'S PODCAST AND EPISODES AT WFYI.ORG/IWIR OR ON THE PBS APP.

I'M BRANDON SMITH OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

>> THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE PANELIST.

THE INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW IS IN ASSOCIATION WITH IND